Hot Sauce (like Cholula)

Chiltepin Hot Sauce

While I use wild chiltepin chiles in this recipe, you can use any small, red, hot chile. Thai and cayenne are good substitutes. Smoked salt is not strictly needed, but it does add a lot of flavor. Ditto for the xanthan gum in this recipe. Again, not strictly needed, but it really helps the sauce hold together. Xanthan gum is, oddly, becoming very easy to find in places like Whole Foods, because the stuff is used in gluten-free baking. Bob’s Red Mill makes it.

CourseCondiment

CuisineAmerican

Prep Time15minutes

Total Time15minutes

Serves2cups

AuthorHank Shaw

Ingredients

6garlic cloves,chopped

1/2cupchiltepinchiles, or 2/3 cup Thai chiles[/ingredient]

1teaspoonsmoked salt

1/2cupwater

1cupcider vinegar

2tablespoonssweet paprika

1/4teaspoonxanthan gummixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

Put everything except the xanthan gum (if using) into a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes. You really want everything blitzed here, so if your blender heats up too much in 2 minutes, stop, let it cool, and continue.

Pour the xanthan gum that’s been mixed with the water into the blender, cover and buzz for another 30 seconds.

Pour into a bowl or large jar and let this settle for 1 hour to allow all the trapped air you introduced into the sauce while blending to escape. If you skip this step your sauce will not hold together as well. Bottle and store in the fridge for up to 9 months.